Body of missing hunter Jonathan Amerson found

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) - A very emotional day for loved ones and friends of Jonathan Amerson. Fellow hunters and law enforcement left the staging area just after 3 o'clock in hopes of having a different outcome.

"Having volunteers on the ground is absolutely indispensable," said Georgia DNR Sgt. Max Boswell as everyone began leaving the staging area.

Search teams packed the entryway of the Barnyard Flea market off Doug Bernard Parkway working to find Jonathan Amerson.

"Those are the people that can come out here and put eyes down and they can see things that the helicopter sometimes can't or go and corroborate maybe what the helicopter has seen and determine whether or not it is a good target or not," he explained.

Teaming up with a DNR helicopter, searchers on foot located the 31-year-old's body in the northern part of Phinizy Swamp Management area, where crews had pinpointed their search. Sgt. Boswell said his department was contacted Tuesday night around 8 o'clock about a lost hunter in the swamp area. That hunter was Amerson, who family members said liked to hunt for duck, deer and turkey. His brother told NewsChannel 6 he went hunting alone and he had lost contact with his family around 10:00 a.m. He added that all that turned up was his truck off Bobby Jones Expressway.

Skyraider Aeronautics' VP Business Development: Rebecca Van Loenen also spoke with NewsChannel 6. She said her business, based in downtown Augusta, started very early Wednesday morning searching.

"We started authorization with FAA," she said.

Van Loenen helped put drones in the air to help locate Amerson.

"We use the imagery so we fly over and either take video or we take pictures or have a live feed in front of us."

The search moved along Bobby Jones Expressway East, slowing traffic there until Amerson's body was found. It was not the news Amerson's loved ones and volunteers were hoping for.

Sgt. Boswell told us the swamp is not easy to navigate and shares this advice for other hunters.

"If you can go with somebody in a rough terrain area that is a good idea. If you are going to go by yourself, make sure that you're in constant contact with somebody through a phone or a radio device."